Medicines Use Review

The Medicines Use Review (MUR) is a service designed to help people taking two or more medications get the most from their prescriptions and treatment.

The Medicines Use Review is a free service funded by the NHS. The purpose of these medicine checkups is to make sure that you are getting the maximum benefit from your medications. The review is a personal consultation with your pharmacist in a private consultation room. The pharmacist will make sure that you are taking your medications correctly, that you understand what the medications do, and also any possible issues in the combination of medicines you are using.

Why Arrange A Medicines Use Review?

At Newline Pharmacy we encourage you to discuss any questions you have about your medications at any time with our pharmacists. However, a Medicines Use Review is a more detailed private consultation that allows you to discuss your overall treatment plan with one of our pharmacists. The consultation also allows the pharmacist to take an in-depth look at your whole treatment plan and review its effectiveness and benefits.

How Do You Arrange A Medicines Use Review?

If your pharmacist feels that you would benefit from a Medicines Use Review then he will invite you for a MUR. The pharmacist may do this when you collect your prescriptions or they may send an invitation by letter. Alternatively, if you have questions about your medications or feel that you may be experiencing side affects, you can ask for a Medicines Use Review at the pharmacy branch where you collect your prescriptions. The pharmacist will often be able to see you there and then without an appointment. If it is not convenient to carry out the Medicines Use Review at that time then the pharmacist will arrange an appointment at a time to suit you.

Please note that you must have been collecting your medications from the pharmacy you wish to carry out the Medicines Use Review for a minimum period of three months before the pharmacist can carry out an MUR. This is to ensure that the pharmacist has all of the information needed to carry out an accurate MUR.

What Happens in a Medicines Use Review

A Medicines Us Review is a private, friendly, confidential and safe consultation to discuss your medication treatment and plan. The pharmacist will encourage you to share any concerns or questions you have about your medications, including any side affects you may be experiencing. The pharmacist will also discuss with you how effectively the medication is working and will draw up an action plan for your continued treatment. A copy of the pharmacist’s summary will then be sent to yourself and your GP.

The pharmacist does not have access to your confidential medical record, only the medications collected at the pharmacy, so it is important that you take along a full list of medications you take, including any prescribed by a hospital or other healthcare service.

During the review you will have the opportunity to ask the pharmcist any questions you have and any concerns you may have about your medications. The main areas covered during the review will be:

Whether you need to take all of the medications you are currently prescribed

Any effects of a stomach complaint on the effectiveness of your medication

How the different medications you take interact with each other

The safety of the medication to your individual circumstances

Possible alternative treatment options

Help with managing your medicine use, including tools to help you remember to take your medication properly

If, following the review, the pharmacist recommends a change to your medication then no changes will be made without the consent of yourself and the person who prescribes your medication (usually your GP).

Further Information

If you have further questions about the Medicines Use Review service then please feel free to call into any Newline Pharmacy, or use the contact form to contact your local branch. We will be pleased to answer any questions you have and advise whether you would benefit from a Medicines Use Review.

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